Junior Minors Lower
Yankees v. Phillies
The Yankees and Phillies met on a beautiful Saturday morning for a classic match-up of rivals. The strong hitting in the top of the first got the Yankees off to a great start. Consecutive hits from Wiley Muchowski and Holden Higgins were followed by a double to center field by Jason Bogdanos for two runs. The hit parade continued with shots by Freddy Purpora, Myles Dunlop, and Aakash Yagnik, and closed with a two- R.B.I single by Erin Paholke.
But the Phillies came roaring back, continuing their torrid hitting assault with significant contributions throughout their line-up featuring hard-hitting Julian DiMuro, Asa Levite, Brendan Farrell, Josh Davis, Jack MCabe, Eric Prince and Jesse Walk, all of whom crushed R.B.I.-producing doubles and provided clutch hitting. Only an eye-popping catch of a linedrive down the line by Julian Memmo at third base helped to hold the Phillies — at least temporarily.
The Yankees got a few more runs on the board in the top of the third, with a base hit from Holden Higgins followed by another blast by Jason Bogdanos, this time a triple to left field. The hits continued, with base hits by Myles Dunlop, a double to leftfield for Max Marshall, and hard-hit singles by Aakash Yagnik and Scott Robbins. But the Phillies were not to be out done — and their fielding was just as spectacular with superb plays by Charlie Lipman, Cameron, Christian, Thomas, and Mikey Schuy.
The game continued with more clutch hitting by the Phillies, but some sweet leather by Julian Memmo, who then made two strong throws to first, and a running catch by Jason Bogdanos finally stopped the Phillies juggernaut in the fourth. Trying to come back, the Yankees’ Myles Dunlop and Max Marshall both stroked base hits in the top of the fifth, while Erin Paholke and Karun Sagar kept up their strong hitting in the sixth. In the field, Myles Dunlop saved several Phillies’ runs with a great stop on a drive to center field and then dove to nip the runner at second.
A very competitive game all around, both sides continue to prove they are the class of the league. On this day, the Phillies’ hitting and fielding were just too much for the Yankees.
Minors
Reds v. Red Sox
In the rematch between Reds (3-2) and the Red Sox (1-4) at Pier 40, Sox pitcher Joseph Dudley struck out the entire side to start the game.
In the bottom of the second, Julian Tutuncu-Macias was hit by a pitch and stole second. Tyler Rohan, now on the mound for the Reds, fielded James Stanke’s grounder with a nice throw to Oliver Brown at first base for out one. T. Goldstein had a nice hit to left field, which was fielded well by Luke Marable but still gave Goldstein a ribbie single. Jake Katzenberg and Ben Beaumont walked, loading the bases for the Red Sox, and Joe Torres followed suit, bringing in run two for the inning. But Rohan was able to strike out the next batter, and W. Best slid on his knees at third to stop Joe Aboaf’s pop fly, ending the scoring.
Dudley used his last eight pitches to strike out the next two Reds batters, and W. Goldstein relieved him on the mound. Rohan hit a solid grounder to right field for the first Reds’ hit of the game, then stole second. Liam Doyle followed suit with a single that moved Rohan to third, and when the ball was overthrown to third, went home for the only run of the game for the Reds. Jonah Frere-Holmes was deprived of a hit when his fly ball was nabbed by second baseman Katzenberg.
In the bottom of the third, with the mist still falling, Dudley smacked the ball over the pitcher’s head and went to second on the overthrow.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Reds played their best defensive inning, shutting out the Sox for the first time. Best had two strikeouts, and Rohan robbed Aboaf of at least one R.B.I by snagging his line drive down the third base line. But the damage had been done, and when W. Goldstein struck out the remainder of the Reds lineup, the final score was 7-1, Red Sox.
Reds vs. Dodgers
On a perfect evening at B.P.C field, the Reds faced the Dodgers again, hoping to make up for that agonizing loss of one run, scored on an overthrow. Tyler Adams was on the mound for the Reds, and struck out the first batter looking. Jackson Mansfield’s foul tip was snagged in mid-air by catcher Douglass Stapler for the second out. Lucas Pryor took his first of four walks for the day, and stole two bases, making it even easier for Spencer Kiehl’s smash double to left score the Dodgers’ first run. Noah de Guchteneere also walked, but Adams struck out the next batter for the third out.
In the bottom of the inning, it was déjà vu all over again as Tyler Rohan grounded to right field for a single, stole two bases, and then went home on an overthrow to tie the game. Dodgers’ pitcher Yannick de Guchteneere struck out the next batter. Stapler walked and stole a base, but Yannick took down the next two batters to end the scoring for the Reds. Yannick struck out the next batter, but Rohan’s rope to right scored two runs before Iliana Memmo was tagged between second and third.
In the top of the fourth, Matthew Levine led off with a walk, followed by Jake Dickerson. W. Best came in to strike out the next batter, but walked Nicolas Fandrich. Yannick’s hard grounder took a mean hop over Brown’s glove, careening into right field and scoring two. Mansfield was hit by a pitch, loading the bases again. Pryor’s walk scored another, but once again Kiehl was up with the bases loaded. His line drive up the first base line was played perfectly by Brown for the second out. Noah walked, but Douglass Stapler caught Swain’s line drive up the third base line with a leaping catch that drew oohs and ahs from the crowd.
Down 11-9, the Reds tried to play catch-up in the fourth, starting with walks by I. Best and Rohan. But Mansfield struck out the rest of the batters to shut out the Reds. The Reds returned the favor by keeping the Dodgers scoreless in the fifth. Stapler, now on the mound, struck out three of the five batters he faced. In the bottom of the 5th, Frere-Holmes walked, but when Kiehl walked up to the mound for the Dodgers, he struck out all three batters he faced with searing heat. Even his catcher asked if he could slow it down, but Kiehl humbly replied, “I can’t control it.” With the sun setting and the breeze picking up, the Reds exhausted three pitchers, but could not get that final out. Ostermaier walked, but Stapler faked out Fandrich for out one. Doyle tried his hand, and was able to strike out Mansfield, but walked Yannick and Pryor, and the bases were loaded for…Spencer Kiehl (cue the music). His neutron bomb to left field was well over the outfielder’s head, and an overthrow in the infield allowed for a grand slam. Noah and Swain walked, and Steinberg was brought in to relieve Doyle. When his pitches failed to tickle the umpire’s strike zone, and runs continued to walk in, the Reds’ coaches conceded the game. The final score was Dodgers 16, Reds 9.
